A Healthy And Safe Sunscreen

The summer months are upon us and so are days spent outside at barbeques, picnics and at the pool and beach. These mean lots of sun exposure and the risk of sunburns. While it is true that too much sun can cause skin damage and sunburns, moderate sunshine is beneficial to our health. Sunshine is our best source of Vitamin D, which actually reduces the risk of certain cancers and many other diseases. It is important to get some moderate sunlight daily but avoid getting burned.

In order to avoid sunburns, we must take certain precautions. Many of us, including children can only be out in direct sunlight for about 10 to 15 minutes before feeling some effects of burning, while others can safely be out 20 to 30 minutes. A moderate exposure to sunlight on a daily basis is beneficial to your health and that of your child. You can minimize exposure to the sun during the hours of 10am and 3pm, when the sun is the hottest. If you must go out during these times, be sure to use proper protection.

The best protection is wearing a wide-brimmed hat and natural fiber clothing that will protect the skin, but quite honestly we do not usually use this type of protection. What is most commonly used is sunscreen. But are sunscreens necessarily safe for us? Parents are known for lathering large amounts of sunscreen on their children on a daily basis during the summer months. But sunscreen can be very toxic and it is definitely not something you want to liberally apply to your child’s skin on a daily basis.

Some common ingredients found in sunscreens are suspected carcinogens. The ingredients include but not limited to triethanolamine, diethanolamine (TEA, DEA), padimate-o, octyl dimethyl PABA, benzophenone, oxybenzone, homosalate, salicylates and parabens. Many studies have been done and have shown that some of the more popular sunscreens can contribute to cancer due to their mutagenic and free radical generating properties. But one of the most disturbing findings is that many commonly used sunscreens contain chemicals that have strong estrogenic actions. What does that mean? It means that it can interfere with normal sexual development and can cause reproductive problems. Some studies have also shown that chemicals found in sunscreens can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The longer the chemicals are left on the skin the more absorption into the bloodstream.

But there is no need to fear; there is a healthy alternative to the popular and dangerous sunscreens on the market. Zinc oxide is a mineral that provides complete UVB and UVA protection. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is considered a safe sunscreen. The only drawback is the strong white residue left on the skin when applied. There are safe zinc oxide sunscreens available that also do not turn your skin white. Be sure to check the label, for nano-sized particles of zinc oxide, which some products are using to avoid the skin from turning white, although still in the testing stages, it is not clear on the safety of the nano-sized particles.

There are organic products on the market that do not contain nano particles, and are completely safe to use on adults as well as children. As always use caution when using chemicals and be sure to read the labels to not only keep your family safe from chemical effects but from sunburns as well.